Phil Spector

Don't Expect A Spector Biopic! Speculative Fiction That Examines The Nature of Celebrity, The Media, And The Legal System
The fascinating HBO production "Phil Spector" was one of the season's most pleasant surprises in my estimation, but it might not be exactly what you are anticipating. If you are looking for a traditional legal picture about Spector's alleged crime and subsequent trial, this might not fulfill your requirements. If you are looking for a standard biopic detailing Spector's life up to and including his current incarceration, that's not to be found here either. Playwright David Mamet, the writer and director of "Phil Spector," does not seem particularly interested in recreating the Spector spectacle. Instead, he uses it as a speculative entertainment, a what-if scenario. A disclaimer at the beginning of the film says that this has no real basis in actual circumstances, but was instead merely inspired by the case. It's an interesting notion and one that is executed expertly. What we get unfolds very much like a play. Spector (Al Pacino) is confronted by a defense attorney (Helen Mirren) and...

??? Al or Phil
I really was disappointed, it was vague . Where was the full Al or Phil. This was a give away never watch again.

What's the point?
This movie starts with a disclaimer: "This is a work of fiction. It's not 'based on a true story.' It is a drama inspired by actual persons in a trail, but it is neither an attempt to depict the actual persons, nor to comment upon the trail or it's outcome." Having read this, and then watched the movie, I don't understand why the "true story" and the "actual persons" were not deemed interesting enough to be the source. Why not just present the story as it was? Beyond that, the disclaimer seems contradictory. If it's not based on a true story, what is it based on?

Throughout the movie, the Spector character bemoans the fact that he is being singled out because he was successful; that past great personalities were similarly persecuted because they were "too big for their britches." In addition, his character proposes that there is no reportable news unless a person of character is perceived to deviate from their "normal" behavior. Whether or not the real Spector said this,...

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